Plant of the Week: Orchid, Hardy Chinese

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture does not promote, support
or recommend plants featured in "Plant of the Week." Please consult your local Extension
office for plants suitable for your region.

Plant of the Week

[A-Z]

Hardy Chinese Ground Orchid Latin: Bletilla striata

Of all the hardy orchids, the hardy Chinese ground orchid is the easiest to grow.)

Orchids have a well deserved reputation for being finicky. Part of the allure of growing
orchids by the thousands of enthusiasts is that not everyone can do it.

Most hardy orchids are just as demanding as their tropical cousins, but the hardy
Chinese ground orchid (Bletilla striata) defies the norm and is so easy even novice gardeners can grow it.

Bletilla striata is one of nine species of terrestrial orchids native to parts of China, Korea and
Japan. It has long been a part of the Asian pharmacopoeia, so pinpointing its original
native range is difficult. It was used primarily as a treatment for various lung and
breathing ailments.

Bletilla is an herbaceous plant that dies to the ground each winter. It produces flattened,
corm-like, white, freely brancing pseudobulbs to 2 inches in diameter. These give
rise to a single stem bearing three to five linear, stiffly upright, 18 inch long
pleated, 2-inch wide leaves.

From five to 10, 2-inch wide cattleya-like purplish-pink blooms are produced at the
end of the spike in mid-spring. A white flowered form is also offered but is not as
vigorous as the purple form.

Thomas Evans, a wealthy merchant and patron of horticulture associated with the trading
company India House, introduced the hardy orchid to England in 1802.

Evans and his daughter were on their way back to China in February 1805 aboard the
Abergavenny when it ran onto rocks off the coast of England in a storm. Evans wrote
a report of the sinking which took 300 lives. Evans was also responsible for the introduction
of the hardy begonia (B. grandis) into cultivation.

Hardy orchids will grow in zones 5 to 9. Plants should be planted in a partially shaded
site with a well drained soil amended with lots of organic matter. The pseudobulbs
should be planted about 2 inches deep; in colder areas the planting area should be
mulched during the winter to reduce the chance of freezing. Don’t allow the plants
to completely dry out during the summer or blooming will be reduced the following
spring.

Plants making good growth will double the number of flowering stems annually. When
the number of stems begins to level off or decline, lift and divide the clump in early
spring before new growth starts. As long as the soil is well drained, hardy orchids
are not bothered by serious insect or disease problems.

The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture does not maintain lists of retail
outlets where these plants can be purchased. Please check your local nursery or other
retail outlets to ask about the availability of these plants for your growing area.